DENVER -- Here’s what the Falcons had to say after the 38-6 loss to the Broncos on Sunday:
Darnell Mooney, wide receiver
On the offense: “We were trying to shoot a lot of things down the field, but they did a lot of good things on my side. We were checking things down to the running backs and our tight ends. We just have to go out there offensively and complement that. Go score and puts some points on the board. We laid an egg today.”
On his injury: “I’m good. Just my right leg was giving out of me a little bit. I’ll be fine though.”
Kaden Ellis, linebacker
On the game: “They called a great game. Props to them. We have to bounce back.”
On what needs to change on defense: “After the bye, I’ll let you know.”
On defending the screens: “That’s Sean Payton. You know screens are coming. (Defensive coordinator) Jimmy (Lake) yelling to me on the headset that screens are coming. We’re telling everybody that screens are coming. The thing with Sean Payton is that he makes it look different every time. There’s not a clear giveaway. He’s probably the best play-caller that we’ve gone against. That is what it is.”
Matthew Bergeron, left guard
On the game: “They played really good. They gave us a good challenge. Obviously, we shot ourselves in the foot a few times. Especially, for myself I think the holding call that I had down in the red zone definitely knocked us off track. It kind of went downhill from that. So, I’ll hold myself accountable for that.”
On the plan to move forward: “Just trying to get everybody healthy. For the offensive line we are getting Drew back. Stuff like that. Guys that have played a lot, just let them recover and get back to 100% for Dec. 1st.”
On rebounding from two-game losing streak: “We just have to rely on each other. We are not the type of team that’s going to give up. Or is going to turn on each other.”
Grady Jarrett, defensive tackle
On the game: “It was a tough loss for sure.”
On if he was surprised: “Tough loss. No. It is what it is. We have to get better and respond.”
On getting their confidence back: “We have to get back to work and control the controllables.”
Nate Landman, linebacker
On the loss: “They had a great plan for us. At the end of the day we just didn’t execute our job. (Defensive coordinator) Jimmy (Lake) had us in the right calls. Not making excuse. It’s on us. We just didn’t execute like we have in the past, these past few games. I thought we did an OK job against the run, but the screen obviously an extension of the run and we weren’t able to stop that. That’s something we’ll look at the tape. Now, that’s something that’s exposed. That’s something that we’ll be working on this bye weekend. That’s something we can definitely get better at as the season goes on, is working on screens and pursuits in an effort toward the ball.”
On the TD drive before the half: “It’s always tough when you give up those long third downs. It takes the air out of you just a little bit. I don’t think we were great on third downs as a whole unit. We weren’t executing. The screens hurt us. Some of the long ball. Some of the (missed assignments). Jimmy put us in the right calls. We just didn’t execute as a unit like we have been doing. It just wasn’t our cleanest game that we’ve played.”
On the bye week coming at a good time: “The saying is that you’ve got to win the bye week. Hopefully, we’ll get some guys back. Get healthy. Do a self-scout. See the things we’ve done well. See the things that hurt us in the last couple of weeks. Really, watch the tape as we are playing ourselves this week. Prepare as we are playing ourselves this week. Use this week to healthy and come back stronger for the next game.”
Clark Phillips III, cornerback
On the game: “It’s all hands on deck. We have to get right. All of us.”
On the mentality of the team after two tough losses: “It’ doesn’t phase us, we know who we are. We know that this showing that we displayed today is not who we want to be. We just have to continue to work. We’ll bounce back. I have no doubt in that.”
On what needs to change on defense: “That’s probably a question for (coach Raheem Morris). I don’t see anything other than the fact that we just have to continue to play. We have to trust each other. We have to tackle out there and we have to stop big plays from happening.”
On his approach to the bye, if he plans to get away: “Some of that, but a lot of it is self-scout. Getting back into film and seeing what we showed and seeing how we can get better. Then also, getting the body all the way back right so that we can come back.”
Justin Simmons, Safety
On being back in Denver: “It was emotional. Obviously, I played the last eight years here. A lot of good memories and it was bittersweet. First, I’m thankful for the warm embrace with the fans and (I) got to see some of my old teammates. It stinks being on the opposite side and coming away with the loss, a bad loss at that. We didn’t execute nearly well enough on defense to give us a chance to win this game. That’s a credit to their offense and how they were operating. It makes the whole thing bittersweet, but I did want to say thank you to the fans and the people that I got to see. The staff that I’ve known and gotten to know the previous eight years. I am super grateful and I’m also standing up here with a heavy heart of a really tough loss.”
On if he was surprised by the defensive performance: “I don’t know. Surprise might not be the right word. I am disappointed in our lack of execution. I Just felt like there was some things we did well, but then a lot of it was just not good. I felt like tackling, the effort wasn’t there. Gave up a lot in the screen game. Again, it was the way they were operating, and the way (QB) Bo (Nix) was evaluating moving the ball and taking the check downs when he needed to. That just allowed them to get into a rhythm offensively that defensively we couldn’t break. No takeaways doesn’t help our offense in a hostile environment on the road. So, you can’t play like that and expect to win. This team has to be able to win on the road, and that starts with the defense setting the offense up with short fields and we couldn’t do that today. Obviously, that showed on the field and in the game.”
On his impression of Broncos QB Bo Nix: “I said it in a podcast with (former Broncos linebacker) Todd Davis leading up to the game. I think the progression from Bo (Nix) watching tape, leading up to this game from week one to now (in) week 11 has gotten tremendously better each and every week. When you have a really good arm, and you trust your arm, it can be hard in the pocket not to take the deep shot. For the most part, we were taking away the deep plays that they wanted to run, and he was just being consistent and checking it down and letting his skill players do what they have done all year. Taking a check down and getting nine or 10 yards, moving the chains and running the ball really well. Just operating at a high level and defensively we couldn’t break that. You can’t expect to come into a hostile environment and expect to win with that defensive effort. It’s not nearly good enough for us.”
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